Well-drilling apparatus



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 w SHELDON I WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 2?, 1925 u) IgVENTfJR Aug, 21, 1928.

Aug. 21, 1928.

W. SHELDON WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 27, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug.21, 192s. 1,681,502

w. SHELDON WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 2'7, 1925 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 21, 1928.

. w. SHELDON WELL DRILLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 27, 1925 IIIIIIIII Patented Aug. 21, lQZSQ Uhtt star

WELL-DRILLING arranar'os.

Application filed October 27, 1925. Serial No. 65,109.

This invention is in part a division of application Serial #(istZlSQ.

Special objects of the invention are to provide simple, powerful means for applying any desired feeding or lifting force without interfering with the rotary action of the drill; to provide a secure and at the same time readily releasible and adjustable drive for smooth drill pipe, operable either with power feed or with the regular rotary drilling operations; to adjustably hold the pipe against pressure encountered in a well and to satisfactorily pack the drill pipe against the loss of gas without interfering or delaying drilling operations.

The various novel features of the invention by which the foregoing are attained are considered in detail in the following specification. v In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification, practical embodiments ot the invention are illustrated, but is should be understood that such illustrations are primarily for purposes of disclosure and that the structure may be modified without departure from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. 7

Figure 1 is a broken part sectional side elevation of the invention as embodied in a drill capable of both rotary and pressure feed operations.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the drill holding mechanism as on substantially the plane of line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a part sectional side elevation illustrating a simpler form of the drill pipe holding mechanism.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the latter with the drill pipe shown in section.

Figure 5 is a view taken at right angles to Figure 3, showing special hold-down devices for securing the quill or drive sleeve against pressure in the well.

Figue 6 is a plan view of the collet or clamp for gripping the drill pipe.

Figure 7 is a vertical section as on the line. 'T7 of Figure 6.

Figures 8 and 9 are views of opposite sides of the collet.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of the double stutling box construction.

Figure 11 is an enlarged longitudinal seetional view of the reverse flow valve for checking back pressure.

In Figure 1 the rotary table is indicated at 12 journaled to rotate in a fixed plane sub stantially at the level of the derrick fioor with clearance above and around the same for use of the tools and other equipment usually employed in rotary drilling operations. Thistable, as usual in machines of this character, is shown as constructed with a large central opening usually of angular cross section to receive adapters or drive bushings 13 and is shown as driven from a suitable motor by bevel gearing 1 1.

A quill or drive sleeve is indicated at 15 keyed in the rotary table by having a sliding driven engagen'ient in the drive bushing 13, this quill being of square or other angular cross section corresponding to that of the bushing. This quill carries at its upper end, the mechanism by which the drill pipe is gripped, a section of such drill pipe being shown at 16 extending down through the quill and table.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 1 and taken from the (o-pending application re terred to, the drill holding means consists ot a sleeve or collar 1.7 having outstanding angular thrust shoulders 18, 19 near its upper and lower ends between which is rotatably confined, a collar 20 with thrust bearings 21 interposed between the ends of the collar and the thrust shoulders. The body of this chuck structure is shown as carrying at its upper end, a series of clamp jaws 22 which can be shifted by bolts 23 into gripping engagement with the drill pipe and at its lower portion another set of clamps 24 which can be independently operated by means of bolts 25. This lower set of clamps is shown in Figure 1, utilized to detachably secure the entire chuck structure to the up per end of the quill or drive sleeve, the chuck sleeve being chambered at 26 at its lower end to receive the upper end of the drive sleeve and the clamp jaws 24 engaging in seats 27 in the upper end of the quill. lit will be seen that loosening the lower set of clamp bolts enables the removal of the entire chuck structure from the driving sleeve and it will be understood that if desired, these lower jaws may be engaged di rectly with a drill pipe or grief stem. the latter in such a case having a sliding driven engagement in a drive bushing 13 set in the table.

Accurately regulatable -feeding or lifting force may be applied to the drill in this disclosure by a pressure cylinder 28 shown as mounted in upright position off at one side of the rotary table, said power cylinder hav ing a piston operating therein provided with an upwardlyprojecting. piston rod 29 connected to the outer end of a beam 30 pivoted intermediate its ends at 31 and having its inner end engaged with the outer or relatively rotatable collar of the chuck head. To allow for the different angles of movement, the ends of the beam or lever 30 are shown as forked at 32 slidingly receiving the blocks 33, one set of such blocks being pivoted at 34 on the upper end of the piston rod and the other set of such blocks being pivoted at 35 to the outsidecollar 20 of the chuck head. By means of suitable valve connections, indicated only in a general way at 36, it will be evident that accurately regulatable lift ing or lowering force may be applied to the drill pipe without interfering with the constant smooth driving of the same by the rotary table. If no force is applied by the power cylinder, the apparatus will simply operate as a straight rotary. The bore of the chuck body may be of square or any other angular shape, as indicated at 37 in Figures 1 and 2, to receive :1 correspondingly angular form of grief stem which may have asliding driven engagement in the table.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 illustrate a form of the invention in which the drive sleeve 15 has a sliding keyed engagement in the rotary table by b eing of octagonal external form and sliding through a correspondingly shaped drive bushing 13 secured in the table. This drive sleeve is shown as enlarged into a head at its upper end and provided with a conical seat 38 for a tapered drill pipe clamp or collet 39.

The details of the collet are shown in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 where it will be seen that the collet is made in two semi-circular sections 40, 41, pivotally connected at one edge by a pintle 42 and having opposed abutment shoulders 43, 44 at the opposite or open side of the collet between which are interposed the bowed springs 45 secured to section 40 by screws 46. Each half of the collet is shown split into relatively yieldable segments by longitudinal cuts 47 extending upward from the lower smaller end of the collet. The two halves of the-collet are indicated as joined together after the manner of hinges, with a knuckle 48 on one. member engaged between cooperating knuckle elements 49, 50 on the other member, the pintle 42 extending through these knuckles and being keyed in place by a pin 51. At their open edges the parts are guided together by the lugs 52, 53 on the upper and lower ends of one member oversliding shouldered portions 54, 55 on the edges of the other member.

From this description it will be seen that the springs 45 have a tendency to spread the collet but that this tendency can be overcome by forcing the collet down in its memos tapered seat. For this latter purpose a clamp is illustrated consisting of two overstanding plates or bars 56, 57, both pivoted together at one end on a stud or bolt 58 fixed in the head of the drive sleeve and having forks 59 at their opposite ends engaged by a securing bolt 60. It will be evident from Figure 3 that when the bolts 58, 60 are tightened the overstanding clamp will force the tapered collet down into its seat and contract it into holding engagement with the drill pipe. i

To interlock the collet in the head of the drive sleeve independently of the overstanding clamp, the two halves of the collet are shown as provided at their upper ends with outstanding lugs or projections 61 slidingly keying in the seats 62 provided therefor in the head of the drive sleeve.

The h'nged structure of the collet malntains it as a single unit and at the same time permits its engagement or disengagement sideway about the pipe. Similarly, the two parts structure of the clamp plate enables the plate to be swung open to release the collet or to be swung closed over the top of the collet with equal ease. The holding effort of the collet may be readily regulated at any time by means of the clamp controlling bolts 58, 60.

Slippage of the collet on the drill pipe is especially guarded against and means for automatically regaining the grip on the pipe in case of slippage is provided in the present disclosure by forming the inner face of the collet sections with a right-handed screw thread 63 which frictionally grips the pipe, and furthermore, operates as soon as slippageoccurs, to cause the collet to cut its own screw threads in the pipe and by such act, to force itself the more firmly down into its socket in the head of the drive sleeve. After such slippage, when automatic reengagement has been effected, the bolt; 58, 60 maybe set to take up any slack that may have been created.

NET)

lVhen coming out of the well under pressure, the drill may be controlled by means of a power cylinder, as in Figure 1, but Where no power cylinder connection is provided for, as in Figures 3, 4 and 5, the drill driving sleeve may be adjustably coupled to the turntable, the derrick floor or other fixedlv held object as by means of turn buckles 64 hooked at their outer ends into lugs 65 on the drive sleeve and engaged with anchor hooks 66 at their lower ends.

The drill pipe illustrated is of special flush. joint construction like that covered in appli-cants co-pending applications, Serial #23262 and 43,131, and therefore capable of passage through a stufiing box. The stutling box illustrated in Figure 1 at 67 and shown in detail in Figure 10 consists of a casing 68 secured by a collar 69 and flanges 70 on Gil collar 98 against which bears the'upper end therein.

racemes the upper end of the well casing 71- and pro vided with an internal seat 72 supporting a thrust plate 73 on which rests a rubber or other compressible packing 74.

The upper end of the packing box 68 is shown as internally screw threaded at 75 to receive the screw shank 76 eta second packing' box 77 having an internal seat for a thrust plate 78 and compressible packing 79, the latter being held by a plug 80 screwed into the upper end of the box 77.

The usual method of operating this double stuffing box is to use the upper packing 79 until'the same begins to show signs of wear and then to turn the upper box 77 down into the lower box 68 so as to bring the lower packing74 into service. When this is done, the plug 80 of the upper box may be unscrewed to release the upper packing and enable the substitution of fresh packing This double stufling box thus provides a packing in reserve which may be brought into service whenever required.

To check back-flow up through the drill pipe, a special valve, indicated generally at 81 in Figures 1 and 10 and shown in detail in Figure 11, may be employed. This valve is indicated as made in three main parts, an upper collar 82 adapted to receive the screw shank of a tool joint, a lower collar 83 having a screw shank 84 to fit the socket of a tool and an intermediate screw sleeve or collar 85 receiving the screw shanks 86, 87 of having ports 90 in the skirt of the same above the valve face The lower closed end of this valve is shown having a dependent stud 92 about which is engaged a thrust of a coil spring .94. The lowerend of this coil spring is shown engaged about the neck of a thrust collar 95 hearing on the l end of the screw shank 86 of the lower collar.

The hollow valve element receives the full pressure of the drilling liquid and so readily opens against the tension of the spring to pass the'liquid to the drill. Any reverse pressure, however, has the effect of snapping the. valve closed and shutting off back-flow through the drill pipe. This valve also closes automatically in the event of any failure of pressure in the, .drilling liquid. The structure is positive and dependable in action, requires no attention, is easily assembled into a unit or taken apart if the occasion requires and the device may be readily applied to and removed from the drill pipe and drilling tools.

What is claimed is:

1. In Well drilling apparatus, a drill stem chuck, a rotary table carrying a removable quill having a sliding driven fit in said removable drive bushing and detachably connected with the chuck, said chuck having means for adjustable driving connection with a drill stem proecting through the quill and readily disconnectible means for applying accurately regulatable lifting or lowering force to said removable chuck carrying quill and a drill pipe extending down through the chuck and quill and held by the adjustable driving means of the chuck.

2. Tnwell drilling apparatus, a rotary table provided with a drive bushing, a hollow quill slidingly fitting in said drive bushing, a chuck removably connected'with said quill and provided with drill stem grip ping means and thrust transmitting means carried by said chuck for applying pressure or imparting feeding movement directly to the chuck and hence to a drill stem held within the same and rotated by the quill.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which the thrust transmitting means includes a chuck body carrying the drill stem gripping means and a sleeve relatively rotatable with respect to the chuck body and engaged about the said chuck body between opposed thrust shoulders.

4. The structure of claim 2 in which the thrust transmitting means includes a thrust shoulder on the chuck and a relatively rotatable sleeve engaged therewith.

5. In deep oil well drilling apparatus, the combination with a rotary table having a chuck passage at the center for the drill stem. ot'a power device supported in fixed relation at one side of the rotary table, a drill controlling and pressure applying lever extending from said power device over the table and havingprovision for a rotary connection with the drill stem, including a hollow drive stem for engagement in the chuck passage of the table and carrying a drill stem chuck provided with means for holding engagement with said hollow stem and with means for holding engagement with a drill stem extending through the hollow drive stem. 7

6. A chuck for oil well drilling operations comprising a sleeve provided at opposite ends with independently operable clamps and with thrust shoulders and having a thrust transmitting collar for engagement therewith, said chuck having an angular passage thcrethrough for sliding engagement with an angular drill stem and a hol low drive quill adapted to lit in one end of the chuck and be held by the clamps at such end.

7. Tn oil well drilling apparatus, a rotary table having an angular chuck passage, an angular'drive quill fitting in said passage, a drive chuck detachably engaged on said quill and means carried by said chuck for driving engagement with a drill stem ex- Ill (ill

41 neei eoe tending through the chuck and through the quill.

8. A combination as in claim 7 with pressure applying means having a rotatable conneetion with the drill stein chuck.

9. In oil well drilling apparatus, a chuck having an angular passage therethrough of a size to receive the angular drive stem of the drill and enlarged at its lower end to receive a hollow drive quill of larger external diameter than such angular drill stem, said chuck having clamp means at the lower end thereof for securing said quill and having clamp means at the upper end of the same for holding engagement with a. drill stem of a size to extend through the hollow drive quill and a drive quill of angular out line to slidingly it the angular chuck passage in a rotary table.

10. In well drilling apparatus, the combination with a rotary. table having a substantially wide flat top and mounted low sul'istantially at the level of the derrick floor with clearance above the same for rotary drilling operations and having a central passage of relatively large diameter to ac connnodate the drill pipe and a surrounding sleeve for driving the same, of a drive sleeve slidingly keyed in said passage and readily removable therefrom, a chuck structure removably secured to the head of said sleeve above the table and including adjustable drill pipe gripping means at the top of the same and accessible over the top of the table, a drill pipe extending down through said detachable chuck structure and drive sleeve, a power feed device also supported low at substantially the level of the derrick floor and power transmitting connections extending from said power device and including relatively rotatable means for applying lifting or lowering force to the drive sleeve'and means for accurately regulating the lifting or lowering force exerted by the power device.

11. In well drilling apparatus, the combination with a rotary table having a substantially wide fiat top and mounted low substantially at the level of the derrick floor with clearance above the same for rotary drilling operations and having a central passage of relatively large diameter to accommodate the drill pipe .and a surrounding sleeve for driving the same, of a drive sleeve slidingly keyed in said passage and readily removable therefrom. a chuck structure removably secured to the head of said sleeve above the table and including adjustable drill pipe gripping means at the top of the same and accessible over the top of the table, a drill pipe extending down through said detachable chuck structure and drive sleeve, a power feed device also sup ported low at substantially the level of the derrick floor and power transmitting con- 7 nections extending from said power device and including relatively rotatable means for applying lifting or lowering force to the drive sleeve and means for accurately regulating the lifting or lowering force. exerted by the power device, said power transmitting connections including a substantially horizontal beam pivoted intermediate its ends at a point to one side of the table, one end of the beam extending over the table and having engagement with the relatively r0- tatable connections aforesaid and the other end of the beam extending away from the table and being acted upon by the power de-.

vice.

12. In well drilling apparatus, the combination with a rotary table having a substantially wide flat top and mounted low substantially at the level of the derrick floor with clearance above the same for rotary drilling operations and having a central passage of relatively large diameter to accommodate the drill pipe and a surrounding sleeve for driving the same, of a drive sleeve slidingly keyed in said passage and readily removable therefrom, a chuck structure removably secured to the head of said sleeve above the table and including adjustable dri'll pipe grhpping means at the top of the same and accessible over the top of the table, a drill pipe extending down through said detachable chuck structure and drive sleeve, a power feed device also supported low at substantially the level of the derrickfloor and power transmitting connections extending from said power device and including relatively rotatable means for applying lifting or lowering 'force to the drive sleeve and means for accurately regulating the lifting or lowering force exerted by the power device, said power transmitting connections including a substantially horizontal beam pivotally supported at a point to one side of the table, said beam extending from the pivotal point over the table and operating as a lever in relation to the power device and drive sleeve.

13. In deep oil well drilling apparatus, the combination with a rotary table having a passage at the center for a drill stem driving sleeve, of a power device supported 1n fixed. relation at one side of the rotary table, a drill controlling and pressure applying lever extending from said power device over the table and a drill stem driving sleeve slidingly keyed in the passage in the table, said driving sleeve having means for effecting an adjustable driving grip with the drill stem projecting therethrough and having a relatively rotatable connection with "the lever so as to be actuated thereby in a lifting or lowering direction.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 22nd day of October, 1925.

W'ALDO SHELDON.

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